SEE,
WE’RE NOT SO SCARY. Closet Monster are poised and ready to rock
the stage at Call The Office tonight.

They are punk musicians from Ajax, ON. But they are not the typical Ajax punk rockers. And they are definitely not a Sum 41 clone.

So who are they? They are Closet Monster, a politically driven group of musicians with a style unlike any other.

Recently signed with the Union Label Group, Closet Monster is currently working on a new album while still touring heavily across Canada promoting their 2002 album Killed the Radio Star. The Gazette had a chance between shows to catch up with guitarist Adam and discover what it means to be a "closet monster."

Their original choice of name was meant to be just that - original. According to Adam, "We wanted something different. So, it was either Closet Monster or Little Dipper."

Originality is part of what keeps the band going. While bassist London once played for Avril Lavigne, he left because he wasn't given much room for creativity.

"Closet Monster is our creation," Adam notes, regarding London's decision. "We are free to do what we want with it. I think it really shows his integrity that he chose to stay with us."

Which makes it no surprise they take extreme pride in their uniqueness. They have even dubbed their style "uniequalism."

"Basically, it means everyone is unique and equal in their own ways, and we are all in the band. We all bring our own unique ways equally into our music," Adam explains.

Closet Monster's emphasis on equality can be heard in all their lyrics, as they try to convey the importance of "getting everyone together and not tearing each other apart. We are all human beings."

Racism and sexism are just some of the issues the band has tackled through their music and they are currently working on a new album which Adam says will be based on experience.

"So far it's general politics," he reveals. "Things we deal with everyday." As for what the rest of the album may bring, Adam doesn't know. "We'll see what happens as we write it."

Recently, Closet Monster decided to tour across Western Europe to further promote their messages and music.

"Europe was amazing!" Adam exclaims. "It was crazy, we would go to some places and people were like 'Hey! I like your band!' before we had even played... it totally blew my mind that people over in Europe knew who we were."

Europe also offered Closet Monster a chance to play festivals with some of their favourite artists, such as Hatebreed and Hot Water Music.

"Some of the shows had like 30,000 people at them," Adam recalls. "Playing in front of that many people was a mad rush."

Perhaps the best way to understand the band is to understand them through the use of closets and monsters. While most people would rather be in a closet than anywhere near a monster, Adam has a different view.

"I think it would really depend on whether the monster was nice or not," he says. "I mean, everyone gives them such a bad rep, but I don't think they really are that scary. They are probably really nice. Maybe it could teach me something, where being in a closet would really just box you in. You really couldn't learn anything from a closet. I think I'd rather be with a monster than a closet any day."